This invention relates generally to circuit breakers, and more particularly, to electronic communicating residential circuit breakers.
The ability to communicate to residential circuit breakers enables numerous value adding functions and applications, such as lighting control, load shedding and remote diagnostics. Additionally, transmission of data throughout a residence facilitates performing home automation functions such as home security and appliance controls. Communicating to residential circuit breakers has generally involved separate communications wiring and power that is available when the breaker is both open and closed and a separate power supply to power a re-close motor. However, separate communications wiring and power supply increases the cost and complexity implementing communicating residential circuit breakers. Residential electrical systems can be used for data communication within a residence. For existing residences, wiring in the electrical systems is advantageous to use because, in most instances, use of such wiring facilitates installation of a communication system.
Additionally, data can be transmitted over a residential electrical wiring system. In such a system, due to residential wiring conventions, a large percentage of data transmissions are routed through a load center, sometimes called a breaker box or fuse box. The load center is the incoming point for electrical service to the residence and wiring for the residence branches out from the load center. The load center includes a plurality of fuses or circuit breakers for the protection of the various circuits within the residence.
The elimination of the separate power supply and communications wiring would reduce cost and simplify the installation process. Thus, it would be desirable to eliminate separate power supply and communications wiring in a communicating residential electrical system.
In one embodiment, a method is provided for communicating with a residential electrical load center that includes at least one electronic communicating circuit breaker electrically connected to a residential electrical wiring system, wherein the electronic communicating circuit breaker includes a fuse protected communications and control module. The method includes the steps of providing power to the fuse protected communications and control module utilizing the residential electrical wiring system and operating the electronic communicating circuit breaker utilizing the fuse protected communications and control module.
In another embodiment, a system is provided for communicating with a residential electrical load center comprising a residential electrical wiring system and at least one electronic communicating circuit breaker electrically connected to the residential electrical wiring system. The electronic communicating circuit breaker comprises a fuse protected communications and control module, and the system is configured to provide power to the fuse protected communications and control module utilizing the residential electrical wiring system and operate the electronic communicating circuit breaker utilizing the fuse protected communications and control module.
In yet another embodiment, an electronic communicating circuit breaker is provided which is configured to be utilized in a residential load center and electrically connected to a residential electrical wiring system. The circuit breaker comprises a fuse protected communications and control module and at least one of a re-close mechanism, a tripping mechanism, a fault detection module, and an arc interrupter, said circuit breaker.